


anyone can wear the mask

by spidrwoman



Category: Spider-Man - All Media Types
Genre: Character Analysis, Character Study, I'm Bad At Tagging, I'm not even sure if it makes sense, It seems deep but it really ain't, Mentioned May Parker (Spider-Man), Multiverse, Peter Parker too but mostly Spidey, Spider-Verse, anyway enjoy i guess, but i tried, so oop, this is just basically a character analysis of Spider-Man
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-28
Updated: 2019-05-28
Packaged: 2020-03-20 14:52:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 540
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18994828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/spidrwoman/pseuds/spidrwoman
Summary: A character analysis of Spider-Man. Peter Parker discovers what it really means to wear the mask.





	anyone can wear the mask

Disconnected. That’s the feeling Peter gets when he thinks about his alter ego. About Spider-Man. Because, if he’s being honest with himself, they’re pretty much two different people. Spider-Man is all confidence and flair and dramatic entrances. Peter is just awkward, full of anxiety, and on edge. They merge at certain points, the most obvious being their need to help people, but they’re different in so many ways it’s easy to see why most people Peter knows have no idea he’s Spider-Man. Or that Spider-Man is him. He’s honestly not sure which it is. There’s a certain freedom in the anonymity Spider-Man provides. The backflips and cocky taunts and smirks come easy as Spider-Man. As Peter Parker? They don’t even happen.

There are anomalies, of course. When Peter’s with May and his friends, the sass and sarcasm come through. Still, he retains most of his Peter Parker qualities. When Spider-Man comes in contact with May and/or his friends, Peter Parker slips through. The apologies. The awkwardness. Other than that, it’s all Spidey.

Peter assumes the disconnection is also partially because of Spider-Man’s status in the city. He’s almost god-like, really. He’s a hero. Hell, the photo they usually use on TV is of him standing against the skyline with the American flag in the background. He’s revered. In the eyes of the people, Spider-Man is a legend. And Peter Parker is just another random citizen. No one cares when they see Peter Parker walking down the street, but they’re all over Spider-Man when he does the same thing. Peter Parker likes not being noticed. Spider-Man  _ hates _ it. He wears a flashy costume for a reason, after all. Partially to attract bullets, but mostly to attract attention. Because Spider-Man’s a bit of a slut for attention, and Peter likes to stay out of the spotlight.

Peter’s not bothered by these differences between him and Spider-Man. He doesn’t usually see it in any other heroes, but he knows that there’s always a slight difference between heroes and their civilian selves. And ninety-nine percent of the time, it’s because their identities are concealed. For example, Sam Alexander. Sarcastic and cocky as Nova, sarcastic and sweet as just Sam. There are discrepancies. Still, the differences between himself and Spider-Man are the most drastic he’s ever seen. But then, after his whole experience with the multiverse and the twenty-some other spider-people he’s met, he starts to get it. Spider-Man isn’t a specific person. He’s a  _ symbol _ . The personality of whoever is under the mask might bleed through at times, but what’s most important is what Spider-Man stands for.

Freedom.

Responsibility.

Protecting the innocent.

It’s all there. In every universe, that is what Spider-Man strives to symbolize. He’s not his own entity, but he sure as hell could be. Because people like Peter Parker and Miles Morales and Miguel O’Hara and Jessica Drew and Gwen Stacy might put on the mask, but at the end of the day they’re still normal people. Spider-Man and Spider-Woman aren’t. They’re symbols. And anyone who puts on the mask  _ becomes _ that symbol, even if only for an afternoon or for a nighttime patrol.

Anyone can wear the mask. It’s what they do with it that makes or breaks Spider-Man.

**Author's Note:**

> If this doesn't make sense let me know. It made sense to me but idk I'm the author so it kind of has to?? Anyway I hope you enjoyed, please leave feedback because that's how I thrive. Thanks!


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